2 injured in Worcester shooting; suspects sought

WORCESTER — Police were investigating a shooting in the West Boylston Drive area Tuesday night that left at least two people injured.

The shooting was reported about 8:55 p.m. Police responded to West Boylston Drive, where they cordoned off the street near Strand's Ski Shop. They also detoured traffic from the intersecting streets, including Merrill Road, while searching the street and yards for evidence. A police dog was brought to the scene.

Police said the victims were teenage males, 16 and 17 years old, who suffered non life-threatening injuries.

One of the victims was transported from the scene and the other later turned up at St. Vincent Hospital, where detectives were dispatched to interview him, according to police scanner broadcasts.

Police were initially reported to be looking for at least three people in connection with the shooting. West Boylston Drive, which runs parallel to West Boylston Street, was reopened by 10 p.m.

No further details on the shooting were available Tuesday night.

The shooting was the latest in an uptick of violence in the West Boylston Drive area, which is just a few blocks east of the Indian Lake beach area where a 27-year-old was fatally shot in 2012.

More recently, police responded on April 12 to a report of two groups of young males standing in the road on West Boylston Drive when shots rang out and the groups scattered. One of the males who witnesses told police was brandishing a handgun, fired several rounds at fleeing males. No injuries were reported in that incident, which occurred about 4:55 p.m. on a Saturday.

The man killed in October 2012, Nathan Otero, was shot once in the head and found lying dead in the parking lot of the beach area at the end of Clason Road, which intersects with West Boylston Drive.

Detectives are asking anyone with knowledge about Tuesday's incident to contact police at (508) 799-8674 or send an anonymous text to 274637 TIPWPD + message or leave an anonymous web message at worcesterma.gov/police. Calls can also be made to the Detective Bureau at (508) 799-8651.